Sesame Street will soon be introducing to children a "hungry muppet" in a one-hour special called "Growing Hope Against Hunger" that will be aired on Oct. 9. This special program aims to teach children about poverty, hunger and where food comes from through the use of a "food-insecure" pink muppet named Lily as well as country star Brad Paisley and his wife, Kimberly Williams Paisley.
According to Ecorazzi, Lily's family will portray a family that is struggling with hunger and food insecurity; her role, in addition to providing solutions to fight hunger, is to create awareness about the hunger issues facing American families and food insecurities among American children. This latter issue was what prompted Sesame Street to create the new program and muppet character. Food insecurity affects over 17 million American children, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. These children, more than half of whom are under the age of 6, feel uncertain about their access to food.
Poverty Puppets
Sesame Street Hungry Muppet Helps Children Understand Issue of Hunger
Trend Themes
1. Children's Education - Using characters like Lily the hungry muppet to teach children about poverty and hunger through engaging programming.
2. Social Awareness - Creating awareness about hunger issues and food insecurities among American families and children through programs like "Growing Hope Against Hunger".
3. Collaborative Efforts - Partnering with country star Brad Paisley and his wife to bring attention to the issue of hunger and provide solutions to fight against it.
Industry Implications
1. Education - Using innovative methods and characters to teach children about social issues and promote awareness.
2. Entertainment - Creating engaging and informative programming to address important social issues and actively involve children.
3. Social Services - Developing partnerships and programs to address and combat issues like hunger and food insecurities in vulnerable populations.